


If Love Isn't Forever

by IhaveAbadfeelingAboutThis



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Betrayal, Blood Pacts, M/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-24
Updated: 2019-07-24
Packaged: 2020-07-19 05:54:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19969105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IhaveAbadfeelingAboutThis/pseuds/IhaveAbadfeelingAboutThis
Summary: Set immediately after the end of Crimes of Grindelwald - Albus visits Gellert at Nurmengard





	If Love Isn't Forever

**Author's Note:**

> I have 2 WIPs that I am working on diligently, I promise.
> 
> But today, I was listening to “Leather” by Tori Amos, and the idea for this one shot wouldn’t leave me alone.

Vinda met him at the edge of the wards.  
“Dumbledore. You are here for Gellert?”  
Albus looked at her for a long moment. “Not in the way you probably think, Rosier. I’ll take a Wizard’s Oath – 24 hour truce.”  
He held out his hand.  
Vinda looked at it and shook her head. “Until sunrise only.”  
“9 a.m.”  
“Fine.”

Vinda reached her hand through the wards and grasped Albus’.  
Albus spoke first: “I swear that, at least until 9am tomorrow morning, no harm will come to Gellert Grindelwald nor Vinda Rosier by my hand nor by my will, nor to anyone else now in Nurmengard, or who makes their residence there.”  
Vinda replied: “I swear that, at least until 9am tomorrow morning, no harm will come to Albus Dumbledore by either the hand or the will of myself, Gellert Grindelwald, or any of his followers or guests.”  
She looked Dumbledore in the eye, and he nodded at her.  
They spoke together: “So mote it be,” and they were surrounded by a white-blue light. Vinda pulled Albus through the wards and escorted him into the castle. 

Gellert looked up from his desk. He locked eyes with Albus and frowned.  
He turned his eyes towards Vinda.  
“You brought him in, Rosier? And he still has his wand, because?”  
“Rosier? That displeased with me, are you Gellert? We made a truce – he swore an oath. He will harm none of us and we will not harm him.”  
Gellert nodded.  
“Very well. Leave him to me. Don’t come unless I call you.”

Albus removed his cloak and his wizarding robes, and laid them on a chair.  
“I understand you are trying to kill me.”  
Gellert clicked his tongue. “Why, Mr. Dumbledore! You know that I would never kill you!”  
“ _Cannot_ kill me, you mean.”  
Gellert didn’t respond.  
“Fine. Arranging to have me killed then.”  
Gellert regarded him carefully. “As if you aren’t.”  
Albus sighed. “I have no interest in your death, Gellert. Quite the contrary.”

“Grindelwald. _You_ can call me _Grindelwald_. How’s Scamander?”  
Albus was incredulous. “Are you – asking after Newt right now?”  
“ _Newt_ , is it? He was your student, wasn’t he Dumbledore? How does Headmaster Black feel about that?”  
“Feel about what, Ge-rindelwald? What are you implying, exactly?”  
“I don’t know, Dumbledore - What do you think I’m implying? It hasn’t escaped my notice that it has been more than a decade since you last came to me. I imagine, in that time –“  
Albus sighed. “The depth of betrayal you seem to think me capable of is staggering, Gellert.”

Albus unbuttoned his vest and sat down. He kicked off his shoes.  
“Do make yourself comfortable, Dumbledore. Make yourself at home. I would have welcomed such behavior 20 years ago, you know. It seems presumptuous of you now.”  
“You were the one who left, Gellert.”  
Albus held up his hand. “I know, I know. ‘We’ve been over this before, Dumbledore.’ But we haven’t. Not really. Yes, you were afraid, yes the British are barbaric, what with our Dementors, and on and on. But _you didn’t even tell me_ , Gellert. You just disappeared without a word.”  
“And you didn’t come after me.”  
“I didn’t know that you would want me to.”  
“It was implied.”

“Implied…” Albus muttered. “Why would I go after you? You just disappeared! I thought you didn’t love me, had never loved me.”  
“I didn’t.”

Albus froze. His jaw tightened.  
“Honestly. I don’t know what this _betrayal_ is that you speak of. Why shouldn’t you try to kill me? Why shouldn’t you fuck an ex-student?”  
“Gellert –“  
“ _Grindelwald_ ,” he growled.  
“We made a blood pact –“  
Gellert rolled his eyes. “Yes. We were idiots.”  
“You – you said that you loved me.”  
“Sure. I meant it, too, if that’s what you’re wondering. But we were 17. The only two attractive young wizards in town. Couldn’t keep our hands off one another. We mistook lust for love.”

“Mistook –“ Albus grimaced. “Grindelwald, I have never felt for anyone the way I felt about you – the way I feel for you still. Can you tell me that you have ever felt about another the way you felt about me?”  
Gellert stood and walked around to the front of his desk, leaning back on it.  
“I have fucked other people since leaving Godric’s Hollow, if that’s what you’re asking.”  
“For fuck’s sake - Do you really think that’s what I’m asking?”  
“No. But it is clear to me that _you_ have not fucked _anyone_ since you last saw me. You are still mistaking post-coital intoxication for love.”

Albus stood and removed his tie. He began unbuttoning his shirt.  
Gellert smirked and lifted an eyebrow.  
“Why Albus, what are you doing?”  
Albus unbuttoned his cuffs, and then peeled off his shirt and vest in one motion, walking towards Gellert.  
“Making a mistake.”


End file.
